Your Nose Could Blow It in a Fire

Challenge

Smoke detectors aren’t the most engaging of topics. So, the question was, how to make a video about them that people would want to watch and share online without diminishing the message?

Insight

When you sleep, your senses do as well. However, there exists a prevailing myth that your nostrils will wake you in case of a fire. Debunking this idea would make a good point for a funny video.

We wanted the video to work without sound so that it could be shown in the background during firehouse events or could be played discreetly on a computer at work. We also wanted it to be accessible by everyone. Therefore, there would be no dialogue.

Method

We created a YouTube cartoon starring Mr. Sniffer, a guy with a giant schnozz who is quite proud of his extra keen sense of smell. But what will save his nose when a fire breaks out while he and his wife are sleeping?

Results

People loved the humorous approach to a serious topic, and promoters, such as local fire departments, shared the video on their websites. So far, there have been over 200,000 views on social media without any paid promotion.